Veteran US sinologist: Distinguish Communist Party from Chinese people

Perry Link is a leading sinologist with a deep knowledge of Chinese language and culture, and more than half a century of expertise in US-China relations. During the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, he helped shelter a prominent Chinese intellectual at the US embassy in Beijing. Although he has been banned from entering China, Link has kept in touch with many of the country’s activists and intellectuals. He sat down with NHK World's Yoshioka Takuma to talk about the goals of the Chinese Communist Party, and the importance of engagement outside of politics and business. The interview has been edited for clarity.